What is BTNET?

BTNET is an application used to support the management of devices from BITSTREAM and other manufacturers and to monitor their status. A range of available services allows for easy and convenient management of local and remote devices, and entire groups of devices.

Capacities/attributes

BTNET gives the user options:

• modification of the device name and type,
• entering the device’s subaddress,
• adding applications associated with the device,
• and access to applications to facilitate monitoring and management of this device (web browser, TELNET, ping, FTP, RS232 and system console, updater, charts[1], alarms)

We can also remove a device from the list or check its properties.

Depending on the device series, other functions may be available in the context menu or other information may be displayed. In addition to basic information about the software installed in the device and the hardware version, a device with a built-in GPS receiver can provide its physical position.

Another function available in BTNET is the possibility of using a measurement server, e.g. in time servers of the Quazar series. The large amounts of measurement data sent by the devices are collected in a non-relational database (Big data) and, with the help of special tools (e.g. graphan), their subsequent graphical interpretation is possible. The tool conveniently enables the colouring of individual values and the choice of presentation in a graph or table. The graphs have additional options for conversion to a tabular overview, export to a spreadsheet or simply print.

One of the key roles of the BTNET management system is alarming. Alarms is a tool in which we have the ability to view any events that have taken place on devices within the device domain. Thanks to built-in filters, we have the possibility to separate events for specific IP addresses, and a text report file of a selected range of events can be generated at any time. In addition, for devices such as control panels (e.g. Setebos 2S, Setebos 2N), it is possible to view temperature and humidity graphs, as well as input and output contact states.

Most of our devices contain a file describing the alarm events generated (trap sessions, syslog, email, sms, etc.), which can be edited manually in a notepad or in the surveillance system in the built-in event file editor. In this tool we have the possibility, in addition to viewing events, to change the descriptions of the occurring notifications and their priorities. In addition to this, we can also change the statuses of occurring events (e.g. from critical alarm to urgent alarm, etc.), and when the relevant file is opened, the events are sorted by event identifier. In the options, it is possible to add a modem that will send an SMS message with information about events to a specified telephone number.

In addition to the above facilities, a tool has been built into the BTNET management system to check and monitor the firmware versions present in the network nodes. Based on the data received, the application colour-codes the alarm status of the node and domain according to the priority of the alarm occurring, generates entries in the local event log and database, generates sms alarm messages, etc.

The BTNET application uses the SNMP protocol (version 1 and 2) for data exchange. The software integrates synchronisation with devices in two ways:

• Active listening for Trap Snmp packets coming into the application on port 162;
• polling (querying) selected nodes and groups of the device Mib tree to synchronise alarm conditions, retrieve entries from event logs, etc.

Installed and correctly configured devices with BTNET software can be visualised in various forms. The application can display devices as:

• Letters;
• Trees;
• Geo Maps;
• Google Maps;

BTNET also has the ability to work in client-server mode. With this solution, the application allows multiple users with different permissions to work remotely, as well as access to different domains on a BTNET application running on a remote computer.

The application has a built-in software updater that will easily and quickly perform a full software update on the device along with performing the necessary actions (e.g. reboot, defragmentation) so that the updates are seamlessly implemented on the device.

The BTNET application also has a built-in programme that allows you to quickly change the configuration of your devices using the relevant configuration files, and once uploaded, the programme automatically executes the commands that load the configuration files. The built-in device configuration archiver allows a quick way to save the configuration from connected devices that are in the device domain.

A G.8032 ring configuration tool (ERPS) is built into the BTNET system. This applies to Bitstream devices supporting ring support.

Management approaches

Management of the devices is via the http, HTTPS and SNMP protocols, and in some device types is possible via the device’s dedicated or any Ethernet port. In addition, access to some device parameters is possible via telnet service or RS232 console.

SNMP is currently the most widely used communication protocol used to manage devices and computer networks. Due to its many advantages such as ease of implementation, the availability of many applications based on this protocol and low hardware requirements, the protocol has gained wide acceptance. The SNMP protocol is used in many popular management platforms. Some third-party devices do not support the SNMP protocol or do not have an Ethernet interface, but have a serial RS-232 interface. For remote management of such devices, a tool that simulates remote serial ports on a server system – VCOMM virtual serial ports – has been built into the management system.

An integral part of the SNMP-based management system is always the management manager – the application that manages the network – as well as MIB (Management Information Base) databases and agents installed in individual network nodes. The management agent is included in most Bitstream devices. If the device type supports the SNMP data exchange protocol and embedded BITSTREAM – the device type is detected automatically.

Adding objects to the map can be done in several ways. One is to manually add a single node. A second option is to select an address range. For devices that support the built-in ‘discovery’ protocol, using the ‘Network Scan’ button, we can automatically search for devices in the network. This option is particularly useful if you forget the IP address of a device. The last way to discover attached devices is to use the LLDP protocol. If the IP nodes support this protocol (LLDP in the SNMP branch according to rfc 2922), the automatic scanner will detect and deploy the newly detected devices on the map.

An important feature of BTNET is the interoperability between the application and our devices. The application works with devices from other manufacturers such as Nokia-Haliplex, DynaSnmp, Ericson, Moxa, DNWP, Rohill, Advantech, Merawex, Ripex, but support for other non-standard devices can be added.

Summary

Main features of the BTNET application:

• Supporting the management of a group of devices or a single node;
• Hierarchical grouping of devices into domains and domain groups;
• Automatic signalling of the occurrence of an alarm in the device and in the domain;
• Implementation of SNMP server (TRAPY) and SYSLOG server;
• Recording of events signalled by the devices, possibility of further review, filtering and analysis;
• Built-in basic services, run for the selected device, such as: FTP, WWW, TELNET, PING, CLI console (RS232);
• Built-in tool for downloading and uploading device configurations;
• Built-in automatic software updater for BitStream devices;
• Presentation of equipment in the form of maps, lists and hierarchical trees;